Manually operable remote control for radiator inlet valves



Nov. 17, 1942. J. VAN VULPEN MANUALLY OPERABLE REMOTE CONTROL FOR RADIATOR INLET VALVES Filed June 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l .5% @u NN .dall

@Hummm /iluulluul N NQ mK N N alle .a s e w. @mj w m9 A Ja 1 hf@ Il 'i n @QN J0 Nov. 17, 1942. J, VAN VULPEN 2,302,158

MANUALLY OPERABLE REMOTE CONTROL FOR RADIATOR INLET VALVES Filed June 6, 194'@ s sheets-sheet 2 fm I'm/e nlotr. fw www@ Nov. 17, 1942. J. VAN vuLPEN MANUALLY OPERABLE REMOTE CONTROL FOR RADIATOR INLET VALVES Filed June 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 17, 1942 MANUALLY OPERABLE REMOTE CONTROL FOB. RADIATOR INLET VALVES John Van Vulpen, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Vapor lCar Heating Company, Inc., Chicago, lll., a corporation of New York Application June 6, 1940, Serial No. 339,105

l Claim.

This invention relates to new yand useful improvements in a manually operable remote control mechanism for a radiator inlet valve, more particularly to a manually operable mechanism located at a position spaced considerably away from the valve, and comprising a exible push and pull connection extending to a position adjacent the valve, for moving the valve to either open or closed positions. When this manually operable mechanism is in a central neutral position the valve may be moved to or from open or closed position by a separate automatically operating means, preferably electrically actuated. Locking means is also provided, cooperating with the manually operable means, for yieldably holding the valve in either open or closedv positions, or for holding the manually operable means yieldably in the central neutral position while the valve is entirely under automatic control,

The manually actuated mechanism forming the particular subject matter of this application is designed particularly for controlling a radiator inlet valve of the type disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of Parks and Peterson, Serial No. 335,719, led May 17, 1940, although it will become apparent as this disclosure progresses that this remote control mechanism could be used to operate other types of valves than the one disclosed in said copending application and disclosed herein by way of example.

Briey described, the valve is automatically moved to open or closed positions by an electric motor mechanism (preferably a solenoid) and an opposed spring. The manual operating means comprises a lever oscillatable outside of the valve casing and having a lost-motion connection with the automatic valve-actuating means so that when this lever is in a central neutral" position the valve can be moved from open to closed position or vice versa without necessitating any movement of the manual operating lever. However, if this lever is moved in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction to certain limiting positions in which the lever is yieldably held by a locking mechanism, the valve will either be moved to or held in an open or a closed position, according to the direction in which the lever is oscillated. This lever may be swung to any of its three positions by direct manual movement of the lever by a person standing adjacent the valve, but the present improvements relate particularly to a cooperating means for swinging the lever from a remote location. Preferably means comarising a swinging lever is located in a, more ae- 55 chamber 3 to which steam is furnished by supply` cessible position, usually on one Wall of the compartment in which the radiator is located. 'I'his lever is designed to be readily gripped by the ngers and is mounted for swinging movement on a dial suitably inscribed to indicate the corresponding position to which the valve is moved. A suitable push and pull element of substantially constant length extends from a position adjacent the manual operating lever just described to a position adjacent the valve, and suitable connecting means are provided between the ends of this flexible element and the two-levers so that a swinging movement of one lever will cause a swinging movement of the other lever.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved remote control mechanism for a radiator inlet valve of the type briefly described hereinabove and disclosed more in detail in the specication which follows.

Another object is to provide improved support- 'ing and guide means for the flexible connecting element.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of certain approved forms of mechanism constructed and operating according to the principles of this invention,

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, with parts in section, of the assembled valve and remote control mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the valve and adjacent portions of the mechanism as shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a detail, partially broken away, of a section of the exible operating element.

Fig. 4 is an elevation (similar to Fig. 1) 'but showing a modified form and positioning of the remote-control mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a partial plan view of the assembly shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, of the manually operated actuating member at the remote location, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a central vertical section through the valve.

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1 or 7.

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially on the line 9-9 of Fig. 4.

The preferred form of vvalve and radiator w. th which this control mechanism is associated will first be described, referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 7. The main valve casing I provided with supporting brackets 2 encloses a main steam pipe t threaded into casing i at 5. Casing I also encloses a-return or discharge chamber 3 from which' condensate and other fluids are discharged'through return or drain pipe l threaded into the casing at 3. A valved steam passage t leads from steam chamber 3 into the feed-chamber Ill from which'steam is delivered into the radiator. The preferred forni offradiator here shown is of the inner-feed type comprising a pair of concentric or coaxial pipes Il and I2,

the outer pipe I2 being provided with a plurality I of radiating fins I3, this outer pipe being closed at its outer end (not here shown). Steam flows from feed-chamber I@ of the valve into and through the receiving end of inner pipe il, which is threaded at id into the valve casing. 'I'he inner pipe Il terminates short of the closed end of outer pipe i2, and the steam then flows back through the annular space I5 between the pipes II and l2 into the discharge chamber d and thence out through pipe l. A cage structure I6 has a hollow nipple Il threaded into casing i between chambers 3 and I@ and enclosing the passage 9. A movable valve member It carried by valve stem I9 and guided in cage It is adapted to engage valve seat 23 in the cage and cut off the flow of steam from supply chamber 3 through passage 9 to the radiator. When the valve I8 is moved back (as shown in Fig. v7) away from seat 20, steam will flow from chamber 3 through the passages 2I in the cage and passage 9 to feed-chamber I@ and thus into and through the radiator. The valve stem I9 extending rearwardly from valve I8 is slidably guided through the rear head portion 22 of cage I6, and the valve stem carries at its outer end a collar member 23 comprising an outstanding flange or projection 241 which forms a portion of the manually operated valve-moving mechanism hereinafter described. A compression spring 25 is confined between the end of cage i6 and collar 23, this spring normally functioning to move valve I3 to the open position shown inFig. 7. A solenoid assembly indicated generally at 26 is tted at one end' into casing I against gasket 2l so as to close this end of chamber 3; The circuit wires 28 and 29 extendingfrom the opposite ends of the solenoid coil 3o lead out through the conduit indicated generally at 3i. The movable core 32 of the solenoid will be drawn in (toward the right Fig. 7) when the solenoid is energized, and the bearing rod 33 extending from one end of core 32 will engage the end of valve stem I9 and force the valve I8 to closed position against the opposition `of spring 25. The valvewill beheld in this closed position as long as the vsolenoid, 30 remains energized. When the energizing circuit to its different operative positions.

is broken, the spring' 25 will automatically open broken by a thermostatically controlled mechanism operating so that the thermostat will be energized to automatically close, thevalvev when a certain predetermined maximum temperature is reached in the space heated by the radiator, while accadde xed on an operating shaft .tt extending transversely through the upper portion of steam chamber 3. in arcuate recess 35 is formed within one peripheral portion of disc 3d, and the ange or projection 2li on collar 23 of the valve stem assembly exten-ds into the arcuate recess 3d. When disc 3d is in the central position indicated in Fig. 7 the core 32 and valve i8 can be reciprocated longitudinally so as to open or close the valve under the electrical control hereinabove described. A locking detent 3l is guided for longitudinal movement within the screw plug 38 and is urged downwardly by spring 39 into yielding engagement with one of the series of recesses d, di and i2 formed in the upper peripheral portion of disc 3d. When detent 3l engages the central recess di, the disc will be held in the intermediate position shown in Fig; 7 and the valve will be under electrical control. When disc 3d is swung through a suitable arc in a counterclockwise direction. the shoulder-.3 at one end of recess 36 will engage the projection or flange 24 and shift the movable assembly consisting of collar 23, stem I3 amd valve i8 toward the right (Fig. 7) against the opposition of spring 25, until detent 31 is moved over into recess t2 thus yieldably locking the valve in closed or on position. On the other hand, if the disc 3d is swung through an equal arc in the clockwise direction, shoulder lf3 at the other end of recess 3B will be moved into proximity to ange 2t and the detent 3l will be snapped into the other recess d0 thus i locking the valve in open position (as shown in Fig. 7) even though solenoid 3@ should be 'energized. A crank or lever d5 (Fig. 1) is secured on the outerend portion of shaft 35 outside casing l and is adapted to shift the disc 3d from one to another of the three positions hereinabove described, these three positions of the valve being suitably indicated by lever t5 on a dial 46 formed on the outer surface of the valve casing. A knob or handle Q1 is provided on the lower end of lever d5, and this handle 4l may be grasped by a person standing adjacent the valve in order to manually shift the valve to its different positions. All of this Vstructure as thus far described is also disclosed in the co-pending application of Parks and Peterson. Serial No. 335,719, hereinabove referred to.

According tothe particular improvements of this present invention manually operable means are provided located at a remote location for moving the lever 45 and thus moving the valve This remote control means comprises generally (see Fig. 1) a manually operable controller A i'lxedly supported at the remote location, a partially flexible push and pull device B for transmitting power from the controller A to the valve lever 45, and a supporting means C for carrying that portion of the power transmitting element B located adjacent the valve.

The manually'operable control memberl A (see Figs. 1, 4 and 6) comprises a. casing 48 adapted to be mounted on or in one of the walls ory parti-v tions enclosing the space heated by theradiator.

the energizing circuit will `be automatically broken and the valve-opened by spring 25 when the space temperature falls and more heat is required. A suitable control mechanism for thermostatically operating the solenoid is disclosed in the Parks and Peterson application, Serial No. 335,719, hereinabove referred to.

The valve can also be manually operated.' Reterring more particularly to-Fig. 7, ay disc 3l is -In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 this controller is mounted lon the adjacent side wall back of the radiator and valve, while the alternative form shownvin Fig. 4 discloses the tending at right'angles to the radiator. In the casing 48l isvjournaled a horizontal shaft 49 which. extends through the cover plate 50 of the casing and carries at its outer end the ih;-

edly secured operating lever 6| which is adapted to be swung to the same operative positions as the lever 45 at the valve, and which indicates these positions on the dial marked on cover plate 50. A pinion 52 is secured on shaft 49 within the casing 48, this pinion meshing with a rack 53 vertically slidable within the guideway .54 mounted within the casing. It will now be apparent that as lever is rotated to either of its extreme positions, the rack 53 will be raised or lowered, and through the operating connection B will impart a swinging movement to the lever 45 at the valve.

The power transmitting element B may take different forms, but is preferably of the known form shown more in detail in Fig. 3 and comprising the inner longitudinally movable operating element B' comprising the inner pull or tension member 55 in the form of a flexible metallic cable which is closely enclosed by the outer push or compression member 56 in the form of a closely wound wire spring, the turns of which normally engage one another. This push and pull element will be of substantially constant length but is sufliciently exible to move through c urved paths when the radius of curvature is not excessively short. Flexible push and pull element B', is supported and guided within a tubular casing which may be either rigid or flexible, or as in the present instance, is in part rigid and in part exible. The ilexible portion of the casing (as shown at the left in Fig. 3) comprises an inner metallic portion 51 formed of fiat coiled wire, enclosed by a braided fabric casing 58 that is preferably treated to resist gasoline or oil and water. Some portions of this guide member may be in the form of rigid metallic tubing, for example brass. As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the upper portion of the power transmitting element B' is guided in the rigid tubing 59 extending through the bottom wall of casing 58 and held in place by nuts 68 threaded at 6| on the upper end portion of tubing 59. The upper end of the inner push and pull element B extends from the upper end of guide tube 59 and is suitably secured at 62 within the lower end portion of rack 53.

The lower end portion of power transmitting member B adjacent the Valve, comprises the straight rigid guide tube 63, this lower end portion of the inner push and pull element B projecting from guide tube B3 and being anchored in a clevis 64 which is pivotally secured by a pivot pin 65 to an intermediate portion of valveoperating lever 45.

It will now be apparent that as lever 45 is swung to its dilerent operative positions by the reciprocation of flexible element B', the pivot pin 65 will swing about the, center of operating shaft 35 through the arc indicated in broken lines, Fig. l. As a consequence the rigid guide tube 63 must be permitted to swing through a small arc in a vertical plane, and for this reason the special supporting means indicated generally at C is provided.

This supporting device C includes a xed bracket comprising two similar semi-circular bracket members 68 and 61 clamped together by screw bolts 88 about an adjacent, portion of the valve or radiator, for example about the outer pipe I2 of the radiator at one end of the valve. A radially extending bracket arm 69 projects outwardly from supporting member 61 and terminates in a portion 1|! extending parallel to the face of the valve and the adjacent guide tube 63. An intermediate portion of the guide tube 63 is ilxedly held in place within the split clamping member 1| by means of the clamping screw 12. A pivot pin or stud 13 projecting laterally from the clamping block 1| is rotatably mounted in a bearing opening 14-in the bracket member 10 and held in place by cotter pin 15. It will now be apparent that while the lower portion of the power transmitting member B is securely supported by the member C, the extreme lower end of this member will be permitted to swing up and down through @small angle in order to accommodate the similar movement of pivot pin 65 through which the clevis 64 is attached to the valve lever 45.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 9, the operating device A is located at the left of the valve assembly instead of at the right and consequently the exible operating device B must extend in the opposite direction from the valve lever 45. In this modiiled orm the lower portion of the guide member is in the form of a curved rigid tube 16 the upwardly projecting left-hand end portion of which connects through the flexible portion 11 of the guide with the upper rigid guide tube 59 connected with the manually operable device A. The lower horizontally extending end of the rigid guide tube 16 is rigidly secured in a clamping member 1|', similar to the clamping member 1| previously described and shown in Fig. 8. However, the supporting bracket 18 of this modied supporting means C comprises a transversely extending arm 19 which is secured to the end of the solenoid assembly by a pair of the bolts 80 which secure the solenoid assembly to the main valve casing l. The longitudinally extending arm 8| at one end of bracket 18 is formed with a bearing opening to receive the pivot pin 13' of the clamp 1|. The bracket arm 19 is formed with an opening 82 through which the guide tube 16 extends, this opening 82 being of greater diameter than the tube so as to permit the necessary vertical swinging movement of this guide tube. The operation of this supporting mechanism is substantially the same as that of the supporting mechanism C already described.

It will be apparent that in the form of the device iirst described (see Fig. l) a clockwise movement of the manual operating lever 5| will cause the rack 53 to move upwardly and thus will result in swinging the valve lever 45 in a counter-clockwise direction. On the contrary, if the manually operable lever 5l of Fig. 4 is swung in a clockwise direction, a similar upward movement of rack 53 would cause the valve lever 45 to also be swung in a clockwise direction.

This situation is taken care of by making the member A reversible, that is when used in the combination of Figs. 4 and 5 the casing 48 is reversed end for end, but the dial or cover plate 5U is kept in the same position as shown in Fig. 1. This will bring the rack 53 at the other side of pinion 52 so that when the pinion is rotated in a clockwise direction the rack 53 will be lowered instead of raised. Consequently the valve lever 45 will still be swung in a counter-clockwise direction as in the Fig. 1 modiiication. As shown in Fig. 6, a second hole 83 is provided in the upper wall of casing 48 in line with the hole 84 in the bottom wall through which the guide tube 59 now projects. It will be obvious that this will permit a simple reversal of the parts, since the l rack 53 can have its position changed end for end within the guide 5.

I claim:

Means for operating a ow control valve from locations remote from the valve and at either side thereof, comprising a casing adapted to be xedly supported in a vertical position at either remote location, a shaft horizontally journaled in the casing, a pinion fixed on the shaft within the casing, a. rack meshing with the pinion, a guide for the rack within the casing, a cover and dial plate removably mounted on the front of the casing, a manually operable lever secured on the outwardly projecting end portion of the shaft and movable across the dial to valve-operating positlons indicated on the dia1,`a powertransmitting member comprising an inner exible push and pull element secured at one end to one end of the rack, and a tubular guide for the element secured at the lower end to one end wall of the casing in line with the reciprocable rack. the casing being reversible end for end and the dial plate being reversible end for end on the casing so that the rack can be moved from one side oi' the pinion to the other as the means is mounted in one or the other of the remote positions thus reversing the directionv of movement of the push and pull element causedby the selected operating movement of the manually operable lever.

JOHN VAN VULPEN.

CERTIFICATE CF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,502,158. November 17, 19.1.2.

JOHN VAN V'ULPEN.

It is hereby Certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent'requiring correction as follows: Page h., second Column, line 1|.,v in the Claim, the lower end tov one end read -one end to the lower endh; and that the said Letters Patent should be' re'ad with this Correction therein that the same may conform to the .record of the Case in the Patent Office.

Signed and 'sealed this 29th day of December, A. D. 1914.2.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

